June 2018 will close as top 5 warmest on record

On the heels of the warmest May ever recorded, the heat has yet to let up across the Midwest. With less than a week left in the month, June is set to close as one of the top 5 warmest June’s ever recorded. The close to June comes following the nearly 30 year anniversary of one of the worst summers Missouri has ever seen, that being the summer of 1988.

The summer of 1988 wasn’t just hot here in Mid-Missouri, but across a good portion of the nation. Thanks to one of the worst episodes of a drought in the country, temperatures soared to record levels. The period from June 20-25, saw record highs each and every day, a testament that a growing drought can have an effect on temperatures.

Data provided by NOAA states that the drought of 1988 was one of the top 10 costliest natural disasters to ever affect the country when adjusted to today’s dollars.

While we are nowhere near the drought that covered nearly half of the nation in 1988, the current dry conditions that have been in place across Mid-Missouri have led to some hot afternoons.

Following a brief break from the hot weather this past weekend, it’s set to return as we head into the coming days. An upper level ridge will once again anchor itself across the midsection of the country and strengthen. This will lead to daily highs in the mid to upper 90s with heat indices each day topping out in the 100 to 109 degree mark.

You’ll want to make sure you stay hydrated in the coming days, as this heat wave will be one of the hottest we’ve seen this year.

Stay tuned to ABC 17 News and follow us on Twitter at @ABC17Stormtrack.